Variable-speed gear.



Patented Deh. so, |902.

Y No. 7|6,930.

J. M. 4HUGH.

VARIABLE SPEED GEAR. (Application med Mln. 2o, 1901.)

(No Nudel.)

JOSEPH M. OUGII, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

VARIABLE-setto e EAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of vLetters PatentlNo. 716,930, datedDecember 30, 1902.

Application filed March 20,1901. Serial No. 52,055. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known thatL-JOSEPH M. OUGH, acitiy zen of the United States,residing in the city of San Francisco, in the county of San Franciscoand State of California, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Variable-Speed Gear, of which the following is aspecication.

My present invention has relation to a novel combination of planetarygears, particularly for use on automobiles, whereby a number ofsuccessively higher forward speeds and asingle backward speed may beobtained within a small compass from a driving-shaft moving with aconstant velocity.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my gearing combination;and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.

The driving-shaft l carries the gearing, which is impelled by one of thetwo drivingpinions 2 and 3, fast on the shaft. Upon a number of pivotsfl, arranged symmetrically around the shaft 1, are mounted doubleorbital pinions 5 and 6. The ends of the pivots 4 are carried on disks 7and 8, turning loosely upon the shaft 1. The hub 9, attached to the disk8, carries the sprocket-wheel 10 or other driven part fast on said hub.

A drum 11, turning loosely upon the hub 9, carries an internal gearconstantly engaging with the orbital pinions 6. The dru-m 11 overhangsand contains the bearing-disk 8, and within the drum an annular iiangefits over said disk, as shown, whereby greater solidity and accuracy ofcentering is secured in spite of possible wear through long` use. Thepinions 5 carry a similar drum 12, having another internal gearconstantly meshing w-ith said pinions 5 and carried by them. The use ofthe two drums and the double orbital gears as distinguished from asingle drum and gear in this connection is not essential to my inventionin its broader aspect.

Around the driving-pinion 2 are symmetrically-arranged orbital pinions13, constantly engaging with said pinion 2 and with a surroundinginternal gear 14 within a flange on the disk 7. The pinions 13 turn uponpivots carried by the drum 15, which turns loosely upon the shaft 1.

`15 to rotate loosely around it.

The drum 15 is provided with a deep flange, as illustrated, within whicha spring clutching-rim 16 is placed. This rim tends normally to assume aform permitting the drum One end of the rim 16 carries the lever 17,pivoted, as at 1S, and so placed that its shorter end 19 tends to expandthe rim and clutch the drum 16, when the' longer end of said lever ismoved outward from the shaft or with the arrow in Fig. 2.

The hub 20 is keyed tothe shaft 1, and the rim 16 is carried on said hubby the arm 21. The tapered annular cam 22 fits over said hub 2O and whenmoved inward to the position shown in Fig. 1 causes the end of the lever17 to ride on its outer surface, and thus act to tightly engage the rim16 and drum 15 by friction, forcing said drum to rotate in unison withthe driving-shaft 1 through the arm 2l and rim 16. Around the threedrums 15, 12, and 11 are placed strap-brakes, respectively operated in awell-known manner by tightening-levers 23, 24, and 25.

To drive the sprocket 10 forward at the lowest speed, the drum 11 isheld fixed by means of the brake-lever 25, when the driving-pinion 3will cause pinions 6 to follow the internal path provided by theinternal gear surrounding them, and thus produce orbital movement of thepivots 4, which rotate the disk 8, hub 9, and sprocket-wheel 10. Similaroperation will produce increased forward speed when the drum 12 is heldfixed, drum 11 being released. For full forward speed the clutching-rim16 is expanded, as above described.

For reverse movement the drum 15 is held fixed, when the pinion 2 willrotate the pinions 13, which being fixed will operate upon the internalgear 14C to reverse the motion transmitted to the hub 9 and wheel 10.

It will be seen that by the use of the construction above describedgreat freedom in relation to ratio of backing to forward speed is`obtained. In the form shown the backing speed will be less than theforward speed, which is the preferred condition for automobile work.

Vhat I claim is- 1. In a variable-speed gearing, a drivingshaft, adriving-pinion fast thereon, two sets IOO of orbital gears one of whichsets meshes with said pinion, an internal gear surrounding and meshingWith the other set of orbital gears and means for fixing said internalgear; in combination With a bearing-disk on each side of all of saidorbital pinions and supporting the same, a loosely-mounted rotary drumoverhanging one of said bearing-disks, an internal gear on said drummeshing With the orbital gears over the driving-pinion, there being acircular ange Within said member projecting over said bearingdisk, meansfor iXing saiddrum and power-transmitting means attached to saidlast-named bearingdisk.

2. A driving-shaft, a driving-pinion fast

